Episode 21: The Hot Gates

Thermo = Hot. Pylae = Gates. In today's episode, we'll get into the tactical blood-and-guts scenario of the battle of Thermopylae ... three days of "hell in a very small place."
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[@eliaskrdas4228]

Gates of fire and tides of war was amazing books ! thank you Mr.pressfield

[@AIDEN_JACKSON]

The times where you had a great leader to look up to to the point where your men are willing to die beside you and other allies rarely see that in todays world

[@frankgugino948]

Steven, Thanks for reminding us of the often-overlooked 700 Thespians who joined the Spartans as heroes of Thermopylae, a story that continues to resonate with warriors everywhere as well as all lovers of history. Self-sacrifice is a virtue that still inspires people to commit to a cause greater than themselves.

[@rogerdevero8726]

Yes Frank, Very Well Said and Amen!

[@TeddyBear-ii4yc]

All those actors who died. 😢

[@ellenmariemccurdy]

I never get tired of hearing you talk about the Battle of Thermopylae. So many aspects and twists, so much intrigue and drama - the brave stand of the Spartans is something we must never forget if we value at all the legacy that they protected from destruction. The men of Thespiae don't usually get mentioned in this story, and their courage is as much Spartan as any. Love this series.

[@armeetindergill]

This is goosebumpy stuff. Rekindles my memory of reading The Gates of Fire. Spartan valour is just tremendously inspirational.

[@joetheblu3]

leonidas was truly a great man

[@Rudra-991]

It's so amazing how ancient armies used geography to their advantage. Just like Spartans used the narrow passes of Thermopylae to counter a larger army, a similar battle happened in mediaeval India in the narrow valleys of Haldighati, where a small army of Mewari warriors stood to take on a much larger Mughal army consisting of guns and cannons, other than cavalry, elephants and infantry.

[@ModernMensHealth]

When the Roman Empire conquered Greece, they left Sparta alone because they were so impressed by this battle and the Spartan training. Fun fact

[@shaun_177]

I highly recommend the book The Gates of Fire. Phenomenal read on this very battle. Spartans are the epitome of honor and bravery .

[@DemetriosLevi]

That raven cawing at the mention of the 'nightmare' Ephialtes, is perfect. Brilliant summary of one of the greatest military feats in history!

[@carlosreyes437]

This video was my preworkout today

[@AlexandrosPanagio]

Im Alexandros.

[@GheLpapzTV]

Ohhhh Thermopylae..This is awsome

[@carlwoods4564]

Brilliant book. One of my favourites. Gates of Fire is awe inspiring However archery and the unleashing of arrows is wrongly described in the books as "fire". It was actually "loose" Fire was not used as a term untill and after the development use of gunpowder and cannon or firearms.

[@missingno.4835]

Very comprehensive. Thank-you!

[@davidprosser7278]

I read the book a few years ago. Such a good read.

[@stevenkoehler6018]

Awesome book. I literally FELt this book coming to me a number of months before I read it.

[@westower7898]

The matching Battle of Artemisium at see had its flank turned when the Persia fleet rounded Euboea, so the Spartan's position had already had their sea flank since the Athenians could not hold on the sea flank.

[@elifootball4k651]

I was listening to this after eating edibles, always been fascinated with the battle of Thermopylae and especially the movie “300” and after listening to this I felt emotional because their courage to sacrifice their lives for the better of Greece and the western world motivates me to go as far as beyond in life, I’ll never forget this video nor the experience I had that night.

[@dabliss101]

The Spartans and the Thespians clearly had the right stuff to save democracy and freedom. I wonder, at times, if we have the right stuff these days to preserve what they saved.

[@dabliss101]

@@xunqianbaidu6917 Yes I do. And Athens and other Greek city states (including Sparta) were beginning the experiment in democracy. If Persia had triumphed, democracy would have been crushed in its cradle. If you're going to attack the Greek city states for having an institution of slavery, I think that they would be right to respond that we have had 2500 years to build on what they started. We should be better at it now than they were. But we seem to have used personal freedom to produce a narcissistic, self-centered society.

[@dabliss101]

@@xunqianbaidu6917 And Darius I, who ordered both invasions of Greece to expand the Persian empire into Europe (although he did not survive for this second invasion which is what the Battle of the Hot Gates was about) ordered 3000 crucified at Babylon in what may have been the first mass use of crucifixion in history. Sparta had two kings and elected 28 elders as a means for checks and balances. In 500 BC, the number of Spartan citizens was between 20,000 to 35,000 (more than 5 percent of the population).

[@joetheblu3]

@@dabliss101 mate you aint Leonidas or even close to any spartan

[@alexanderedward-webb8387]

The Spartans hated democracy. This was about saving Greek autonomy and freedom against Persian despotism

[@forevernight9282]

Proud of my Greek background.

[@gw5309]

Excellent summary!

[@slisyd]

Finally someone who has said it the Greeks saved civilisation. We would not be here today if it was not for them literally.

[@juliethefilmmaker]

Very cool!

[@PitDriver]

Thank you

[@DanielThomasArgueta]

Subscribed.

[@snokelpops]

Aristodemus the coward who became Aristodemus the mad😢

[@AlexandrosPanagio]

Brother Pressfield, do you think the Persians followed the spartans back from their assasination attempt?

[@johndunn4182]

Great video I have always been taught that we owe so much to the ancient Greeks.

[@lonnietoth5765]

The Texans did the same thing at the Alamo . They delayed and bled the Mexican Army enough to allow Houston to build his Army rally behind the famous " Remember the Alamo " slogan .

[@mmccarty]

Many referred to the Alamo as a "modern Thermopylae"

[@lonnietoth5765]

@@mmccarty Exactly !

[@edgabrielocay3376]

Yes...but the Americans were the land grabbers.

[@JorgeDiaz-tq1es]

😂😂😂😂😂 when you need a lie to justify a robbery

[@dan020350]

❤

[@BreakingUFC]

New to your channel. You've got a new subscriber here!

[@StevePressfield]

Great - thanks for joining in. First time I've ever done anything like this.

[@BreakingUFC]

@@StevePressfield keep it up!

[@zydr1c]

I was afraid he fell down

[@malligrub]

It's a myth that the Spartans "saved Western Democracy" - as romanticized as it has become, this battle was completely futile. The Persians burned down Athens right thereafter and when they came back the next time after being turned back by the Athenians and their allies at Salamis and Platea, the Spartans were hell bent on winning the Peloponesian wars and destroying Athenian Democracy. They colluded with the Persians to have the walls of Athens torn down, the city sacked and the army destroyed. The Athenians rebuilt, defeated the Fascist state of Sparta with the help of their allies and history went on. The prime objective of Sparta was to destroy Democracy.

[@sirgalahad1376]

Blasphemy. Put your forked tongued back in your mouth.

[@jpkeen]

Great comment. I am someone who has read Gates of Fire tens of times in the last few years and I personally still romanticize the era of the warriors and civilization referenced in his (Steven Pressfield) works. However, I have to agree with your comment and would like to add that one must have a certain level of naïveté to ignore the truth of your statement in which the Spartans collusion with their once Persian enemies and lust for Lykurgan law paints a shadow on their prior military exploits. Just another example of humanity in its purest form. Still have to admire the martial skill and valor of the Greek defenders, as well as the author who wrote such a great story for us to enjoy.

[@TeddyBear-ii4yc]

So we all admire the martial prowess of a fearsome gang of devious little shxts?

[@krail5500]

If a Persian ship held 200 men and 30 marines, and there were 1000 ships, then the number of the Persian army would have been 230,000.

[@joetheblu3]

the 2 million army was a myth

[@jpkeen]

To my understanding the naval force of the Persian army was accompanied by a ground force much larger which maneuvered into Greece from the north, via Thrace and Macedonia as well as the Hellespont and farther from the East prior to that.

[@dianaverano7878]

Persians already had been expanding even before this battle of thermopylae. Thus the naval force of Persians have been travelling even before the battle. That is why Xerxes was serious was his threat because he already had men travelling. He is 1 step ahead in terms of planning his troops, anytime ready to attack.

[@-_Nuke_-]

does that narrow pass still exist today?

[@pitsinokaki]

Yes, but it is not that narrow anymore - the grounds have changed.

[@echtigren8188]

@@pitsinokaki Is there a particular name for it? I'd like to find on YT

[@pitsinokaki]

@@echtigren8188 Yes, Anopaia Odos.

[@echtigren8188]

@@pitsinokakiThank you!

[@pitsinokaki]

@@echtigren8188 You are very welcome!

[@user-mw2vn7pv8n]

2 million persians? No need to undermine your credibility like that.

[@jpkeen]

It is interesting that he chooses this number, when more modern Historians can agree it was not that numerous an army, however I believe he uses the number to serve as a dramatical emphasis on how large the army seemed at the time; surely the number was much larger than that of the Greek defenders nonetheless.

[@ModernMensHealth]

Who else is here because of assassins creed odyssey 😅

[@brutus4013]

Totally inaccurate telling of the battle of Thermopylae .

[@G3lonis]

please . We are looking forward of your video or citations

[@brutus4013]

@@G3lonis Thanks .I'm assuming you mean an accurate retelling of the battle that didn't have the omnipresent Spartans walking on water.

[@G3lonis]

@@brutus4013 Apart from the number of 2m Persians, which is an exaggeration of Herodotus himself, everything else was pretty accurate . Now please share you view on the event

[@alexmau2862]

Thank you